COCHRANE, Ont. – Riding two-goal performances from Troy Bowditch and Cole Beckstead, the Kingston Voyageurs (OJHL) finished up in first place after round robin play at the Polar Bear Classic in Cochrane as they bounced the hometown Crunch 7-3 Saturday evening at Tim Horton Event Centre.
With the outcome, Kingston moved to 3-0 overall and will now meet the No. 4 Espanola Express (0-3) in semifinal play Sunday at noon at Jus Jordan Arena in Iroquois Falls.
Cochrane (2-1) meanwhile entertains the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners (1-2) in the other semifinal back at Tim Horton Event Centre. That contest also begins at noon.
The two semifinal winners will meet in the championship game Sunday at 7 p.m. at THEC.
At THEC Saturday night, the Voyaguers grabbed a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes getting markers from Bowditch, Dorian Overland and Reid Russell while Josh Roberts connected on the power play for Crunch in the session.
The Ontario Junior Hockey League side from Kingston notched the only two tallies in the middle session to go up 5-1 as Bowditch and Beckstead both found the back of the net.
Each club would score twice in the final frame with Brandan Nadeau and Beckstead connecting for the Voyageurs while Quinton Maddox and Austin Whelan countered for the Crunch.
Rob Clerc had two assists for the winners in the triumph.
Trevor Withers picked up the win for Kingston while playing two periods and saving 26 of 27 along the way while Hayden Ford turned aside14 of 16 in third period relief.
Taylor Unruh went the distance in goal for Cochrane as he saw 47 pucks fired his way in the setback.
